Fine Art Photography (copywork)

[PamKeach]

I have an artist that has recently sold a large, 30x40 charcoal piece that is framed (glass). I've been asked to photograph it so that she has a digital image. It looks fragile (I'm not an artist), and would rather work on shooting it as framed. But, if I have to take it apart, how much would I charge for that?

 

[Nikodeumus]

There is no set fee of course. Every shop determines their own rates based on skills/experience, materials costs, costs of business, etc.

Whatever your time and experience are worth to you.
Are you a professional?
In what field? Photographer, framer, or other?
My hourly shop rate is $75 to $90 depending on the task and how much "extra" effort will be involved.

If the task is easy for you. (you have experience and materials to do it quickly and well) you might charge your "regular" hourly rate.

If something requires excess time, it's a skill you are not proficient at, need to get help with, need to gather supplies you don't normally have, etc. Then it is "more" work for you and you might need to charge enough to cover these "extra" costs of the time you spend to perform the task.

Most framers have a minimum service/labour charge that could be a full hourly rate, or a portion of hourly rate.
Ie: minimum labour fee of 1/2 hourly rate.

So, two questions:
1-What is your time worth to you?
2-Do you have the skills /experience to re-seal this frame to the same quality as before you disassemble it?

 

[PamKeach]

Hubs looked at it - he's retired from construction industry and now is the framer; I'm the photographer. He's comfortable taking the frame apart. I like the regular hourly approach - thanks.

I'm not familiar with the charcoal medium; the artist did apply a "fixative" to it. I'm more worried about what could happen to the piece if we take it out of the existing frame. It looks like it is on some type of parchment paper, mounted on poster board and framed in a mass produced metal frame with pressure clips to hold it in the frame. My gut tells me, to reduce the glare and shoot it as is.

 

[Nikodeumus]

"Caution above all else" is a wise approach in a case like this.

Do you have studio flash lighting?
I have a "standard" twin flash set up for taking passport portraits at work. Zero shadows are permitted.
2 Flashes at opposing 45 degree angles works great.
It just happens that this set up also works great for photographing frames with any kind of glass with zero reflection.

Camera settings to start experimenting with :
-fStop 11
-shutter speed 250
-camera mode full manual
-sync with external flash on

Of course this all depends on what gear you have. You'll have to adjust and experiment to fine tune your own settings.

 

[Ylva]

Welcome to the G!

Go with your gut

If neither of you are used to handling a charcoal, then don't take it apart. A fixative is only temporarily. It allows an artist to work layers in between. However, over periods of time, the fixative dries out and no longer functions as it should. Fixative is basically a type of glue.

So depending on how long and how well it was applied, the charcoal might now once again be 'flaky'. If it is a type of smooth parchment paper, no matter the fixative, it will flake.

Pastels and charcoals are best when used on a 'toothy' type of paper.

Is there a mat at all? Is glass right on top of the charcoal? If so, definitely leave it alone. Removing the glass might smudge it, or lift some of the charcoal off the paper.

Did I mention 'Go with your gut'?

 

[wpfay]

What quality image is the artist looking for? Something for an archive, or something to make digital reproduction?
I’ve been down that path with the owner of a piece wanting an image for record keeping, then dissatisfied when it wasn’t good enough to publish in an auction brochure.

 

[JFeig]

The photographic process of reproducing a piece of art is a skill that is not the same as taking portraits, news, candid shots, or for landscapes. It is a subsection of "studio photography". The art of "lighting" has to be learned.

As such, it requires specialized tools and training.

 

[Nikodeumus]

The photographic process of reproducing a piece of art is a skill that is not the same as taking portraits, news, candid shots, or for landscapes. It is a subsection of "studio photography". The art of "lighting" has to be learned.

As such, it requires specialized tools and training.

I Agree.
The process I described above is only used for a record of framing projects I have done.
I have used it to photograph large art works unframed, (but not for the purpose of reproducing the art) only for the artists records / catalog.

Quality large format art reproduction at a professional level is an artform in itself.

 

[Eric A]

We are a giclée printer mainly and we would charge $70 to shoot, proof and provide a file. If you do not do this all the time I would refer them to a shop that does. It is a whole different animal. You do not have to remove it from the frame. We shoot through the glass all the time as long as it is not CRC.
Eric

 

[DVieau2]

Source a business that has a polarized lighting set up such as a Cruse scanner.

Kind of unfair to charge for reframe because you're lacking the right (albeit expensive) equipment.

 

[Rick Granick]

For the reasons others have already mentioned, I would also NOT take it out of the frame. A 30x40 charcoal drawing is a very fragile and temperamental animal. IMHO, the risks of dealing with it far outweigh any potential pay you might get for unframing and reframing it.
Rick